Beautiful Biomimicry: Treehouses Look Like Part of the Trees

By Delana

Treehouses, once thought of as play areas for kids only, have finally come into their own as grown-up play places and residences. The Embryo Treehouse from Antony Gibbon Designs is a beautifully designed treehouse that looks like it grew from the tree itself.

The Embryo Treehouse takes that biomimicry a step further by looking like it is an organic part of the tree. The two-story elevated house resembles a burl or natural growth on the tree. Cedar shingles help the house blend into its surroundings. Windows come in three different sizes and can be arranged in a way that will allow in as much natural light as the building site allows.

The name Embryo refers to a stage in the life cycle of organic creatures. It is meant to affirm our connection to the natural world, embracing the idea that as a whole, we could stand to be much closer to nature.

You enter the house via a drop-down staircase and a hatch door. Once inside, a spiral staircase wraps around the interior wall, connecting the first and second floors. This configuration helps to maximize the available floor space on both levels. A total of eight people can sleep comfortably in this suspended nature-inspired home.

Of course, a love of nature wouldn’t mean anything if the treehouse caused harm to the tree to which it is attached. The Embryo attaches to the tree using a set of braces that allow the tree to continue growing without damaging the bark.